Chapter 13: Not open is also called open?
“Water…water army?” Minister Wu looked at Jiang Shu in a daze. What was the purpose of public relations finding a water army?
“The water army is cheap and practical, and they have many accounts. As long as they promote on various video platforms, the effect will not be much worse than media promotion.”
“But the water army can easily cause public resentment,” Minister Wu questioned.
The water army can promote, but this kind of spamming behavior can easily cause resentment. After all, no one wants to click on their favorite video and see a comment section full of advertisements.
“It doesn’t matter, black popularity is still popularity,” Jiang Shu waved his hand, “I have rich experience in this area.”
He would respectfully apply the black popularity strategy that S.M. Entertainment in this world hadn't fully grasped yet.
“You need to note a few key points for promotion. First, our DM Entertainment has exhausted all its funds, betting the company’s fate on IVE, linking IVE’s success or failure with the company’s development. Remember to emphasize the fact that we have reserved one month’s salary for all employees.”
“Second, focus the promotion on Xiao Liu and Xiao Yuan. For the other four, just mention their names. Make sure everyone who sees it remembers that IVE is a six-member group, and two of them are named Liu Zhimin and Zhang Yuanying.”
“Completing these two points will be sufficient.”
Minister Wu blinked.
“I didn’t expect that you, Chairman, also have capabilities in public opinion.”
Jiang Shu waved his hand.
“Go do it quickly. There’s not much time left until the scheduled debut date.”
“Understood!” Minister Wu nodded and bowed before leaving the office.
As Minister Wu departed, for a period afterward, the public suddenly discovered a group called “IVE” active in the comment sections of various videos. Every day, a large number of people would spam the comment sections with identical messages, which was incredibly annoying.
The crucial part was that no matter what kind of video you went to, you would see them, which was the most absurd thing.
Countless people were forced to remember that this new girl group IVE from DM Entertainment would debut on May 2nd.
With a large enough base, some K-pop fans searched for IVE and found that it was a new girl group about to be launched by a small entertainment company called DM Entertainment. Information about IVE’s six members had already been released on DM Entertainment’s bare-bones official website, but it had gone unnoticed.
As the time drew closer to May 29th, another wave of the water army emerged, using the exact same rhetoric, but the content changed from introducing IVE to promoting DM Entertainment’s future-betting, all-in gamble.
Most people, of course, were dismissive. Whether you go bankrupt or not, what does it have to do with them?
However, a small number of people noticed that DM Entertainment had reserved one month’s salary for all employees. This approach of going all-in while ensuring their employees wouldn’t face hardship if the company went bankrupt was quite appealing.
In Korea, there are many cases where employees are burdened with company debt after a company goes bankrupt. It's rare to find companies that allow employees to leave without debt. Compared to that, DM Entertainment, which would still pay one month's salary even if it went bankrupt, was practically angelic.
However, even with the water army's relentless promotion, only a minority knew that IVE was about to debut.
The water army could cover the entire Korean internet, but the money DM Entertainment provided was insufficient for the water army to offer such extensive service.
From another perspective, at least IVE didn't have that many anti-fans.
Yes, anti-fans.
Due to the water army's overly aggressive promotion, many people were so annoyed that they wanted to blow up DM Entertainment, which led to a large wave of IVE anti-fans.
Aren’t you betting everything? Then if IVE dies, you’ll die with them, right?
Okay, then we'll be IVE's anti-fans!
There weren't even any fans yet, but IVE already had several anti-fan clubs. Why several? Because each domain channel had its own IVE anti-fan club.
In what way was this not a form of popularity?
In such an environment, May 29th finally arrived as scheduled.
At 10 AM, IVE’s debut song “I AM” officially landed on major music platforms. Not only in Korea, but also on QQ Music, NetEase Cloud Music, Kugou, and other music platforms next door, it was launched simultaneously.
Black popularity is still popularity. With the water army's pervasive hype during this period, many people were paying attention to the group called IVE. As the music was released, passersby and anti-fans alike clicked on the song.
Korea’s largest music forum.
“How do you evaluate the debut song of the water group IVE?”
First floor: Is this some song a company about to go bankrupt could make?
Second floor: Why doesn't this song have a music video?
Third floor: Ah, sh*t! I'm an anti-fan! But why am I already looping this song!???
…
Thirty-seventh floor: Because they're poor, they can't afford to shoot an MV. Very reasonable, right?
Thirty-eighth floor: Begging for information on the female high note vocalist in the chorus!
…
One hundred seventh floor: I'm dying without an MV! I completely can't tell Liu Zhimin and Zhang Yuanying's voices apart, their faces and voices don't match!!!
One hundred eighth floor: The water army's promotion was really annoying, but the song quality is truly great. I've become a fan!
…
Two hundred ninety-eighth floor: How is an anti-fan not a fan?
Two hundred ninety-ninth floor: This chart-climbing speed is a bit too fast, isn't it?
Three hundredth floor: Has no one noticed that the lyricist, composer, and producer of this song are all the Chairman of DM Entertainment?
Three hundred first floor: Another JYP?
Three hundred second floor: Ah, sh*t! I'm dying without an MV to watch!!!
…
DM Entertainment, Marketing Department Data Statistics Room.
The usually sparsely populated data room was now packed with people. At the front were Jiang Shu and DM Entertainment's middle and high-level executives, along with Liu Zhimin and Zhang Yuanying. The other members of IVE were further back.
A group of people surrounded the data room's computer, silently staring at the data on the screen.
On the Melon daily chart, which was still considered the most recognized, the text “I AM IVE” was rapidly increasing its play count with every refresh. One hour had passed since the music was released at 10 AM. At this moment, “I AM” had already appeared at seventh place on the daily chart. At the current rate of increase…
“It might hit number one on the daily chart this afternoon!” Minister Park said, his lips a little dry, as he looked at the screen.
At these words, everyone felt a moment of daze.
Daily number one?
Was this something a group launched by their small company could achieve?
This was a daily number one!
Achieving a daily number one in the current era dominated by boy groups was something even S.M. Entertainment's Rainbow Girls couldn't do!
Jiang Shu was also a little shocked.
He had thought “I AM” would be popular, but he hadn't expected it to soar to seventh place in just an hour. This speed…
Jiang Shu glanced at Liu Zhimin and Zhang Yuanying beside him.
He couldn't be sure yet, he would wait and see.
“We’re going to Music Bank for promotions this afternoon, everyone hurry and eat,” Jiang Shu collected his thoughts, clapped his hands, and said.
“Understood!”
Thanks to book friend 20190131200643771 and book friend for the 100 Qidian coin reward!
